The soaring demand for network data throughout the globe has steadily fueled the evolution of networking technologies, as engineers and manufacturers rush to keep pace with the changing data consumption landscape and increasing network scalability requirements. Various network technologies have been developed precisely to meet this soaring demand for network data. For example, overlay network solutions, such as virtual extensible local area networks (VXLANs), as well as virtualization and cloud computing technologies, have been widely implemented in networks with increasing success as popular solutions to such growing demands for network data.
However, while this advancement in network technologies has allowed networks to support such increased demand for network data, it has also resulted in larger and more complex networks, involving massive amounts of traffic data constantly being routed through the network. And as the amount of traffic handled by the network grows, it becomes increasingly important to ensure efficient and error-free routing strategies. Precisely, poor routing strategies can create an enormous burden on the network, which only worsens as the amount of traffic grows, and can result in inefficient and costly traffic routing, as well as routing errors, such as route flaps and network loops. Not surprisingly, proper cabling and switching configurations are also important for handling large amounts of traffic, as they can help increase network efficiency and prevent errors, such as network loops. Unfortunately, as the complexity of the network grows, it becomes increasingly difficult to manage the various cabling, switch, and router configurations in the network.